Follower for posting trays



Nov. 4, 1952 Q J, LARSON 2,616,432

FOLLOWER FOR POSTING TRAYS Filed May '7, 1949 2 SHEETS--SHEET l IggENTOR NOV. 4, 1952 l Q J, AR5ON 2,616,432

I `FOLLOWER FOR POSTING TRAYS Filed May 7. 1949` SHEETS--SHEET 2 I (76 57 l l iff Il. ZZ (l IQVENTOR I Patented Nov. 4, 1952 FOLLOWER FOR POSTING TRAYS Oscar J. Larson, Jamestown, N. Y., assignor to Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown,

Application May 7, 1949, Serial No 92,052

7 Claims.

ThisV invention relates to improvements in posting trays or receptacles of the type employed for supporting a plurality of loose ledger leaves, sheets, cards or other articles to facilitate examination of the same and the posting or transfer of items thereon.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a posting tray with means of improved construction for supporting the follower plate or plates of the posting tray in various angular positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide posting trays of this type with brackets of improved Aconstruction for supporting the follower plates in desired angular relations, and in which the brackets are constructed so that they may be easily and quickly actuated for positioning the follower'plates as desired. A further object is to provide a posting tray in which the articles supported on the tray may be locked against removal.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a posting tray embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, transverse section thereof on line 4--4, Fig. 3, showing the side rails or offset bars in their outer positions.

Fig.. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view on line 5-5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional elevation thereof on line 6--B, Fig. 1.

`The posting tray comprises a base portion on which the various parts of the device are mounted. The base portion may be of any suitable or desired form and, in the construction illustrated, comprises end walls 8 and side walls 9, and a horizontal portion or tcp plate I9 for the sheets, cards or other articles, and which is provided in the longitudinal, central part thereof with a channel or U-shaped part I I. Preferably, the base is formed of a single piece of material bent to form the channel II, the top plate Ill and the side and end walls.

' The posting tray is provided with one or more of the usual follower plates or panels I5, two being shown in the construction illustrated, between Which the ledger leaves, sheets, cards or other articles may be positioned, and these follower plates are hinged to support the articles in various inclined positions to facilitate access tothe same. In the construction shown for this purpose, each follower plate ls welded or othercentral sectional wise secured at its lower end to a leaf I6 of a hinge member, the other leaf Il of which is connected with the leaf I6 by means of a hinge pin I8. The leaf Il is secured to an upright ange I9 of a follower support 20. This support extends substantially parallel to the top plate I0 and is movable relatively thereto.

Means are provided for adjusting the follower supports lengthwise of the base. Any suitable or desired means may be provided for this purpose and, in the construction shown, each follower support is mounted on the upper face of a block 22 arranged in the slot II of the base. Any desired means may be provided for mounting the follower support 20 on the block 22 and, in the construction shown, a headed pivot pin 23 is provided which extends through an aperture in the upper portion of the block and into a recess 24 of the block 22 and is held in place on the block by means of a pin 25 in the recess 24 and extending through the aperture of the pivot pin 23. This mounting permits the follower support to swing about the upright pivot pin 23 into Various angular positions relatively to the Each of the follower blocks is provided with a threaded hole in the lower portion thereof in which an adjusting screw 2T engages. Each screw is suitably held against lengthwise movement in the base. For this purpose the inner ends of the two screws 2l are rotatable in a bearing support 28 suitably secured within the channel II of the base, and the outer ends of the screws have cylindrical portions bearing in upright bearing supports or channels 29 which may be secured to the end walls 8 of the base, see Figs. 3 and 5. The outer ends of the screw are non-circular in shape, for example, square, as shown at 33, and are accessible through opening 3! in the end walls of the bases so that the screws may be turned by means of a crank or key for adjusting the follower supports independently of each other lengthwise of the base. A washer 32 may be interposed between a shoulder on a screw and its channel 29. Any other suitable or desired means may be employed for adjustably mounting the follower plates or panels I5 on the base.

Adjustable brackets are provided for supporting the follower plates in upright positions, shown in Figs. l and 2, and in various angular positions, some of which are shown in Fig 3. Each of these brackets comprises a pair of links pivotally connected to each other and to the follower and follower support, and in the particular construction shown, one of the links 33 is pivotally mounted at 34 on a pair of angle-shaped members 35 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the follower plates I5. The other link 3l is similarly pivoted at its lower end at 38 on a pair of angle-shaped members 39 welded or otherwise secured to the follower support 20.

The two links are pivotally connected to each other to swing into various angular relations to each other and thus support the follower in various angular relations to the base. The first link 33 is preferably of U-shaped cross section and many be provided with a handle portion 40 by means of which the two links can be manipulated for adjusting the same relatively to each other. rl'he pivotal connection between the two links is effected by means of a pivot pin or part 42 extending across the two legs or sides of the link 33 and through a slot 43 of the other link 31. The link 31 is provided at; the outer end thereof with a shouldered or notched portion 44, and the link 33 has another pin or stop member 45 whichY extends across the space between the two legs or sides of this link and engages the shoulder portion 44 when the links are substantially in alinement, as shown in Fig. 1, for suporting the follower in upright position. In order to facilitate engagement of the shoulder portion 44 of the link 31, by the pin 45, the end of the link 31 is preferably provided with a cam portion or projection 41 which facilitates the movement of the link 31 into substantial alinement with the link 33 and guides the pin or member 45 into engagement with the shoulder 44. The slot 43 in which the pivot pin 42 engages is sufficiently long to permit the link 33 to be moved upwardly slightly beyond its final position to permit the stop pin 45 to move back into engagement with the shoulder 44 for supporting its follower plate in upright position.

When it is desired to move the follower plate i5 into an inclined position, the operator grasps the handle portion 40 and lifts the link 33 to a slight extent to enable the stop pin 45 to move upwardly out of engagement with the shoulder 44, whereupon the link 33 may be lowered to permit the follower to swing into an inclined position.

In order to support a follower plate I5 in Various inclined positions, the connecting wall 50 which connects the two sides of the U-shaped link 33 terminates at a distance fromthe lower end of this link. as shown, and its lower end forms a shoulder or abutmentv 5l which may engage a cam-shaped edge portion 52 of the other link 31. This shoulder or abutment. in cooperation with the pivot pin 42, enables the link 33 to bind on or grip various portions of the cam face 52 of link 31 at various angular positions of the links relatively to each other. For example, at the right hand side of Fig 3, the pivot pin 42 is in an intermediate position within the slot 43, and further downward movement of the link 33 is prevented by the engagement of the shoulder 5l on cam surface 52 of link 31. As the links are shifted so that the pivot pin 42 is located in the slot 43 nearer to the free end of the link 31, the angle between the two links is increased so that the follower i5 will be positioned in a more nearly upright position. If the pivot pin 42 moves to the other end of slot 43, as shown in the left side of Fig. 3, the angle between the two links of the bracket will be reduced so that the follower !5 will be supported at a greater angle to the vertical. It will be noted that in these angular positions of the links, downward pressure on the upper link 33 will cause the shoulder 5I to bear downwardly on the cam face 52 and the pivot pin 42 to bear upwardly against the upper wall of the slot 43, thus producing a binding or gripping action which holds the two links against movement relatively to each other. This binding or gripping action is readily relieved by lifting the link 33 upwardly, whereupon the links may be readily shifted into another position for supporting the follower plate at a different angle. Consequently, the followers may be arranged in various angular relations to the vertical by adjustment of the two links into dilferent angular positions relatively to each other. When the two links 33 and 31 arev in substantial alinement, as shown in Fig. 1,.they are locked in such positions by the engagement of the pin 45 with the shoulder 44, and consequently, when the followers are in the upright positions as shown in Fig. l, the followers may be pressed tightly against the cards or other articles by'means of the adjusting screw 21, thus compressing the articles/between the followers.

contents between the followers, thus lockingthe contents against removal, except by turning the screw in the opposite direction. When the contents are locked in the posting tray in this manner, the links 33 and 31 cannot be swung relatively to each other to enable the followers to be swung away fromthe contents'of the tray;

since a slight movement of the upper portion. of the follower toward the contents is. necessary,l

in order to disengage thepin 45 from the shoulder 44. Consequently, when the'user ofthezpostingi tray places the followers into upright positionsI and then actuates the screw'bymeans of 'a key4 or crank to clamp the contents between thefol lowers, then any person not having a crank or" key cannot remove any of theV contents.

The base ofthe posting tray is provided at opposite sides thereof with side rails or oiset bars.

55 which engage the side edges of the cards or other articles which may be. supported on the posting tray, and sincevit is desired to. shift individual articles sidewise with relation tothe main body of articles, it is desirable to'have the side bars adjustable toward and from each other to vary the distances between them. In theconstruction shown for this purpose, which forms theI subject matter of an application for patent` by Oscar F. Edeborg led December 9, 1950, Serial. No. 200,070, the side bars are connected at.

their ends to depending arms. or angle members 5S and to the middle positions of the side or offset parts 55 to bev secured to other depending arms ory angle members 51. The lower or horizontal legs of the angle. shaped arms or members 56 extend through slots in the side walls 9 of the base and consequently may move in or out through these slots when the sides of offset bars 55 are moved toward and from each other.

Means are also preferably provided for releasably locking the side or offset bars 55 in the positions into which they are set, and for this purpose the lower legs or horizontal portions 59v of thel The lower or horizontal arms 59- of theangle. members 51. are preferably guided. forI movement.

By turning the z adjusting; screw 21v by means of a crank or key the followers may be tightly pressed against the cardsor otherk This ball for each anglemember.

relatively to the base of the posting tray by means of transversely extending, channel-shaped guide members 64, the ends of which may be secured to the under surface of the top plate i9 of the base. The channels of the guide members are of such width as to guide the arms 59 in their movement transversely of the base. Each of the channels 54 may be provided adjacent the side walls 9 with apertures through which the cups 52 may extend, the cups being provided at their upper portions with outwardly extending flanges 66 which limit the downward movement of the cups 62 in the holes in the channels and thus support the balls or detents 9| in operative relation to the arms 59.

In order to limit the extents to which the side or offset bars 55 may be moved from the base of the posting tray, the inner ends of the arms 59 are preferably provided with downwardly bent portions or flanges Si, and the channels Bd are provided with apertures in the sides thereof through which stop pins 69 may be inserted and with which the turned-over ends or flanges 61 will engage when the arms 59 have been drawn outwardly from the sides of the base to the limit of their movement, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The engagement of the arms 59 within the channels 54 tends to hold the side or offset bars 55 in positions parallel with the sides 9 of the base. Fig. i shows the side or offset bars 55 in their outermost positions, and the broken lines in Fig. 4 show one of the arms in its innermost position; they are also shown in Fig. 2, in which the offset or curved ends 51 of the arms 59 engage the longitudinal channel I! of the base.

I represents anti-slip strips which may be secured to the upper surfaces of the horizontal portion of the top plate lll of the base and the upper surfaces of which may be slightly roughened to resist slipping of the cards or media thereon. If desired, a longitudinally extending rod 1! may be provided within the channel Il. This rod is provided at one end with the usual screw-threaded head l2 which may have threaded engagement with one of the end walls 8 of the base for locking the bar in place. This bar extends through apertures in the blocks 22 and also in the upright channel 29, and is used for securing cards or sheets having downwardly extending tabs with apertures thereon, which may enter the channel I I, and the bar 1| may be passed through the apertures.

The posting tray described has the advantages that the follower plates or panels l can be very readily adjusted into either upright positions or positions at various inclinations by actuating the link 39, for example, by means of the handle til. Various inclinations of the follower plates or panels may be effected by slightly raising the link 33, whereupon the links may be readily shifted relatively to each other. When the follower plate is in the desired angular position, the lower end of the link 33 is moved in a direction away from the follower plate, whereupon the binding action of the pivot pin i2 and shoulder 5I will result, as has been described. The side or offset bars 55 may be readily moved into various positions relatively to the base by grasping the middle angle members 51 and pulling them toward or from the side walls of the base, whereupon they will be held in their adjusted positions bymeans of the balls 5| engaging in the holes or recesses 50 of the arm 59. The posting tray described is very efficient and reliable in operation and readily ad 6 justable. The construction described lends itself readily to quantity production and is free from complicated parts.

It will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of parts, which have been herein-described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a posting tray including a base and a follower having the lower edge thereof hinged on a support which is movable lengthwise of said base, that improvement for supporting said follower in various angular relations to said base, which includes an adjustable bracket comprising cooperating links, one of said links being pivoted at one end thereof on said follower and the other link being pivoted at one end thereon on said support and having a slot adjacent to the other end thereof, a pivot on the rst of said links extending through said slot in the other link for connecting said links for pivotally supporting the same in various angular relations to each other and thereby support said follower in different angular relations to said base, and a part on said first mentioned link positioned to bear against different parts of an edge portion of said other link to bind said pivot in said slot to releasably hold said links in different angular relations to each other, and thereby support said follower in different angular relations to said base.

2. In a posting tray including a base and a follower having the lower edge thereof hinged on a support which is movable lengthwise of said base, that improvement for supporting said follower in various angular relations to said base, which includes an adjustable bracket comprising cooperating links, one of said links being pivoted at one end thereof on said follower and the other link being pivoted at one end thereof on said support, and having a slot adjacent to the other end thereof, a pivot on the first of said links extending through said slot in the other link for connecting said links for pivotally supporting the same in various angular relations to each other and thereby support said follower in different angular relations to said base, a cam surface formed on an edge portion of said other link, and an abutment on said first mentioned link located laterally .with reference to said pivot and positioned to engage different portions of said cam surface, said abutment when bearing on said cam surface forcing said pivot into gripping engagement with an edge of said slot facing in the opposite direction from said cam surface, to hold said links in various angular relations to each other.

3. In a posting tray including a base and a follower having the lower edge thereof hinged on a support which is movable lengthwise of said base, that improvement for supporting said fol'- lower in various angular relations to said base,A

which includes an adjustable bracket comprising cooperating links, one of said links being pivoted at one end thereof on said follower and the otherv link being pivoted at one end thereof on said support and having a slot adjacent to the other end thereof, a pivot on the first of said links extending through said slot in the other link for connecting said links for pivotally supporting the same in various angular relations to each other and thereby support said follower in different angular'rel'ations to saldi base,.a cam surface on said other link, an abutment on said rst link adapted to bear against said cam surface, and spaced. laterally with reference to said pivot pin, said. abutmentwhen downward pressure is exertedv on said first link by said. follower being pressed downwardly against said carn, said downwardzpressurecausing said pivot to swing against an: edge of' saidslotfacing in the opposite direction from said cam, to produce a binding action to prevent further swinging of said follower.

4. In a posting tray including a base and a follower having the lower edge thereof. hinged on.

a` support which is movable lengthwise of said base, thaty improvementforV supporting said follower in various angular relations to said base, which includes an adjustable bracket comprising cooperatinglinks, one of said links beingpivoted atone end thereof onfsaid follower and thevothery link. being pivoted at one end thereof on. said:

support, said first mentioned link being of substantially U-shaped: cross section and' theI free end of said other link extending within the adj a.- cent end. of said first link and having a slot extending substantially lengthwise thereof, said first mentionedlink having a pivot pin extending through said slot f said other link, the wall of said U-shaped linkconnecting thesides thereof terminatingat a distance' laterally from the endy of said first mentioned link to form a shoulder positioned4 to engage different portions of anedge of said other link when the same are in angular relation to each other andl when downward pressure is exerted on said rst link by said follower, saiddownward pressure swinging said shoulder and pin into gripping engagement with oppositely facing edge portions of said other link, to support said links in such angular relation and thereby support said follower in an angular relation to said base.

5. In a posting tray including a base and a follower having the lower edge thereof hinged on a support which is movable lengthwise of said base, that improvement for supporting said follower in various angular relations to said base, which includes an` adjustable bracket comprising cooperating links, one of said links being pivoted at one endr thereof on said follower and the other link being pivoted at one end thereof on said support, said first mentioned link being' of substantially U-shaped cross section and the free end of said other link extending within the adjacent end of said rst link and having a slot extending sub'- stantially lengthwise thereof, a cam surface on the edge of said first link adjacent to said slot, said rst mentioned link having a pivot pin extending through said slot of said other link, the wall of said U-shaped link connectingthe sides thereof terminating at a distance from the end of said rst mentioned link to form a shoulder positioned laterally of said pin with reference to the length of said rst link to engage different portions of said cam surface of said other link whenv the same arev in different angular. relations to each other and when downward pressure is exerted on said first link by said follower, said downward pressure swinging said shoulder and pin into gripping eri-- gagement with oppositely facing edge portions-of said other link, to support said links in such angular relation and thereby support said follower in an angular relation to said base.

6. In a posting, tray including a base and a follower having the lower edge thereof hingedon when. saidlinksare swung into'vangular. relations to each other, saidabutment exerting pressure against said edge portion inone directionand said pin pressing against anV edge of said` slot inthe opposite direction to bind said links into. lockingv relation to each other.,V said pin being movable lengthwise-of said slot to cause saidl abutment to bear against different portions of said edge to vary the inclinationof said' follower.

7. In a posting tray including a: base and av follower having the lower edge thereof' hinged on a support which is movable lengthwise ofy said' base, thatiinprovement for supporting said follower in various angular relations to said base,

which includes anadjustable bracket comprising cooperating links, one ofV saidlinks being' pivotedv at one end thereofr on4 saidA follower andthe other.

link being pivoted at one end thereof on said'.

support, one of saidl links having an abutment positioned toy engage any edge of the other link whenrthe links are swung into/angular. relation to: eachother and also having apart spaced laterally with reference to. said abutment and positioned;

toengage'an oppositely facing edge ofitheother link, said abutment and said' part whensaid. links are swung into different angular. relations to each other engaging different portions of said edgestto' hold said` links indifferent angular relationsto each other, a shoulderedportion on' the end portion of said other link, and apart xedly securedy to the rst link toengage saidshoulderedportion tostop the swinging of saidlinks when said links are substantially -in alinement and to supportsaid follower'in` upright position,.said follower when in its upright -position and pressedby saidadjusting means into engagement withl articles in said posting tray, holding said part and shoulderedv portion of said links ink locked. positionsv to prevent removalv of` said articles'- from said tray except by actuating said adjusting means to move said follower away from. said. articles;

OSCAR J. LARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 732,807-y Woodruffl Y A July 71903 964,117 Mott July 12, 1910 `1,666,700 Harrison e Apr. 171928 1,786,411 West Dec. 23, 1930 2,305,434- Le Febure Dec. l5, 1942 2,360,709 Nabholz Oct. 17, 1944 2,520,738 Segal Aug.29, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 78,658. Austria Oct. 10,` 1919 

